


Sparks Over Rippling Depths

by Perpetual_Screaming



Category: Original Work
Genre: Elemental Magic, Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day, merman, no smut tho, temporary nakedness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-12-27 04:10:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18296567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perpetual_Screaming/pseuds/Perpetual_Screaming
Summary: In which a fire elemental and a merman reveal their feelings for each other.





	Sparks Over Rippling Depths

**Author's Note:**

> This was a late Valentine's gift for my best friend, loosely based on her prompt: fire elemental + water elemental + forbidden love. Enjoy~

If one was listening closely, they might be able to hear the quiet thumping of shoes on wooden planks as one lone man crossed the pier that evening. One hand rested in his jacket pocket, the other clutched a book pressed tight against his torso as he walked. When he reached the end of the pier he quickly scanned the area to make sure no one else was around, and when he found he was alone he sat down at the very edge. For a few minutes he waited, sitting absolutely still, until suddenly the water beneath him stirred. Green scales flashed in the fading light, and a long fin glided just underneath the water, disappearing for a moment before a young man’s head broke the surface to peer at him with a cheerful grin. 

“Chris!” The male greeted, mint eyes brimming with excitement. The sight made Christopher’s face relax into an endeared smile, as it did every time he saw the merman. 

“Hey Finn, nice to see you again.” He greeted in turn, and held up the book he was holding so the other could see it. “I brought your favorite today.” 

Chris wasn’t sure how the boy could appear more excited, but he managed. “Yay!” He cheered, as his webbed hands stretched out to grab onto the wood. He hoisted his torso up just enough so he could rest his head on his folded arms, and stared at Chris adoringly. “Read it from the beginning, please.”

The man nodded and opened the book to the first chapter. The daylight was quickly fading into darkness with each passing moment, but Christopher had no trouble making out the words on the page. Reading in the dark was just one of his numerous abilities, which set him apart from regular humans. He took in a breath, and began.“Once upon a time...”

Christopher recited the words to Finn with just as much passion as all the times he’d read the story before, but as time went on he eventually noticed that Finn wasn’t responding like usual. Chris glanced up to see that the merman was gazing at him, eyes gleaming with affection and...was that curiosity? It barely seemed like he was even paying attention to the story. “Hey.” He said softly when Chris had paused his reading. 

“Hm?”

Finn pressed his face further into his arm, squishing his cheek cutely. “Can you do that thing again?”

A small smile tugged at the corner of Chris’s lips. “Of course.” He took one hand from the book and held it out, palm facing upward. In that moment, a small flame steadily began to grow in his hand. 

“Whooaa...” Finn couldn’t help but mutter in awe as the flickering light danced across his features, his eyes wide with amazement. The flame radiated warmth into Chris’s palm, and pulsated like a heartbeat in front of him. It was as if the fire was his own heart, beating just for that merman currently transfixed by his power. 

_Maybe I should tell him._

Yes, Christopher couldn’t think of a better time than this moment. 

“So, Finn.” He began, and as the addressed’s gaze shifted back to him he took a deep breath. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time.”

Finn’s head tilted curiously. “What is that?”

The dark-haired man looked away; he just couldn’t seem to meet that bright gaze. He felt heat crawling up the sides of his face, and he knew it had nothing to do with pyromancy. “I...really like you. A lot. And it’s not like friendship. It’s...different from that.” He fell silent, and after a moment with no response he dared to glance at Finn again.

The merman was staring back at him with a thoughtful expression. “You know...I’ve felt that too, for a while. At least, I think it’s the same.” He mused as he traced the wood grains with his finger. He gave Christopher a shy smile, and a blush soon colored his cheeks in the firelight. Now it was his turn to look away in embarrassment. “I, um, thought about it a lot. I’ve wanted to do that thing humans do, you know? Where they exchange rings and profess their love. I thought...you’re the one I’d want to do that with.”

The smile on Christopher’s face grew at hearing Finn’s words, and he chuckled. “Well, humans only do that when they’ve loved each other for a very long time. Many years.”

“So? I still want to!” Finn huffed, pouting. A swishing could be heard from the water, and the merman’s tail made an irritated splash. “If only I had legs, so I could walk with you and be with you always. And face you at eye level.”

“Yeah. Or if only I could swim, then we could live beneath the water.” Christopher sighed. Thinking like that was hopeless; submerging himself in water was practically suicide for someone like him. But he didn’t want to make Finn sad, so he tried to think of something to lighten the mood. Suddenly his eyes widened when he remembered what day it was. “You know, the humans call this day ‘Valentine’s Day’.”

“Really?” That curiosity entered Finn’s gaze again as he looked up at Chris with wonder. “What’s Valentine’s Day?”

“It’s another day for humans to profess their love, though this one comes every year. Some go out and have fun, while others stay home to kiss or cuddle or hold hands. Anyone who feels love can celebrate it.”

“Then we should celebrate, too!” Finn declared. But then he seemed to grow shy again, and he hid the lower half of his face below the edge of the pier. “I mean, uh...I’ve kinda wanted to know what kissing is like. Kissing you, that is.”

Christopher flushed and sputtered at first, and in his surprise the flame in his hand went out, casting the two of them in darkness. “Y-yeah, we could do that. Kiss.” He stammered. Even without the warmth of the fire, he was starting to feel hot.

“Okay...so how do we do it? Show me.” Finn ordered, webbed fingers tapping on the deck in anticipation. 

“Alright. Um, well first...” Christopher closed the book he held and set it behind him. Then he crawled forward on his hands and knees until he was leaning over Finn. “Put your arms around my neck so I can hoist you up.”

For a second Finn seemed worried, but curiosity won out. “If you think it’s okay.” He muttered before reaching out to grasp the man’s neck with a slippery hand. Where his fingers came into contact with the back of his neck, Chris could feel a slight sizzling sensation. It wasn’t enough to hurt him so he didn’t complain, and at no protest Finn’s other arm rose to meet him. Putting all his weight on his knees, Christopher reached his arms down to wrap them around Finn’s torso, and in one swift movement he was sitting down again, the merman safely seated in his lap. But as water splashed onto him he couldn’t help letting out a sharp gasp. 

“Are you okay?” Finn asked, tone and expression alike laced with concern. 

“It’s fine, don’t worry.” The other responded through gritted teeth, and held Finn tighter. “It stings a bit, but it’s okay. This is worth it.” He meant what he said; a bit of stinging was nothing when it came to his feelings for Finn. 

“Alright then.” Finn conceded, giving him an expectant smile. “So...”

Chris returned the smile and lifted a hand to brush some of Finn’s hair away, ignoring the tingling in his fingertips. With that same hand he cupped the merman’s cheek and leaned forward, until his lips were pressed against Finn’s. It was a chaste peck, and yet the soft plushness of the other boy’s lips was  _there._ Real. When he drew back he could see a blush on the other’s cheeks, but there was also an excited gleam in his mint eyes. 

“Hmm. So that’s what it is.” He mused, a playful smirk gracing his lips. “I quite like kissing. Do it again?” In response Christopher leaned forward once more and closed his eyes, as he made the kiss a bit deeper this time. Sharp tingles traveled from the back of his neck to the sides of his face as Finn’s wet hands splayed across his cheeks. It felt almost like sparks of electricity on his skin; uncomfortable, but with Finn it only seemed magical. 

Finally they broke apart again, contentment bubbling warmly in Christopher’s chest. But as soon as the kiss ended, Finn’s eyebrows quirked in a bewildered way, and his grip on Chris tightened. Suddenly he began slapping his tail frantically, the the green scaly fins making loud thumps against the wooden pier. “W-what’s happening to me?!” He demanded, a hint of panic entering his tone. “What’s wrong with my tail?!” 

“I don’t know!” Chris exclaimed as he watched the man in his lap freak out in horror. “Are you hurt?!”His eyes frantically scanned Finn for any sign of injury, but found nothing. It was only a kiss, what was going on?!

The merman stilled for a second as he tried to calm himself down. His grip on Chris’s collar lessened. “I don’t think so. It’s just...weird. It doesn’t really feel like my tail anymore. Heavier maybe?” When the words left his mouth, both men looked down to see that Finn’s tail was changing visibly. Green scales seemed to disappear, receding back to reveal soft pale flesh underneath. Then it began to split, forming two trunk-like figures. Tail-fins melted away and solidified into feet, placed at the end of what now looked like two very human legs. 

All they could do was stare in stunned silence as the process unfolded before their very eyes. But then Finn started to wiggle his new toes. The action looked so silly to Chris; his initial shock quickly ebbed away and he let out a small chuckle, the noise ringing out and breaking the silence. 

Finn turned to him, a grin on his features once more. “This means I can walk now, right?”

Christopher didn’t fully understand what just happened or why, but one thing was clear - Finn had legs. He nodded, and carefully helped his now-boyfriend to his newfound feet. “Now let’s go find you some clothes.”

Hand in hand, with smiles and laughter shared between them, they began to walk the way Christopher had come.


End file.
